Many Android-based tablets have came, saw, but hardly conquered in the tablet arena over the past year. Standing up to the iPad 2 has been a difficult challenge for many, but ViewSonic is willing to give it a shot.

ViewSonic, a global provider of computing, consumer electronics and communications solutions, revealed its ViewPad E70 tablet at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas this week.

The 7-inch ViewPad E70 tablet features Android's latest mobile operating system, Ice Cream Sandwich, as well as a 1 GHz processor, 4 GB memory storage, microSD expandable storage to 32 GB, front-facing camera, and Wi-Fi capabilities. Like other Android-based tablets, users will be able to download various apps from the Android Market for a full tablet experience.

"ViewSonic is committed to delivering advanced technology designed with the consumer in mind," said Michael Holstein, vice president of business development for ViewSonic. "Featuring the latest Android operating system, along with leading apps and services for entertainment content, the ViewPad E70 continues the ViewSonic tradition of bringing feature-rich products to new markets."

They might not have.Amazon sold 5.5 Million Kindle FiresLets say Apple sold 14.5 Million iPad

Kindle Fire may have singed iPad sales: Experthttp://www.todayonline.com/TechandDigital/Digital/...Strong sales of the Amazon Kindle Fire have eaten into iPad sales, according to Mr Tavis McCourt of the stockbrokers Morgan Keegan, who had lowered his estimate of the number of Apple tablets sold in the fourth quarter to the end of December 2011 from 16 million to 13 million.

Having a good $179.99 tablet will just add to the nom nom nom of Android eating into Apple.

One tablet selling 5.5 million and only just released a few months ago. Fast forward to next year and you'llhave dozens of tablets that are getting better and better that are even cheaper than $199. Most people just want a tablet to access internet, email and do a few other mundane tasks. Its not like you need a top of the line model for any of that.

The question is whether this Viewsonic tablet is profitable? I thought Amazon's tablet was thought to be break-even at $199 with Amazon relying on their store and services for profit. Presumably at $179, Viewsonic's tablet is also break-even or has very slim profit margin and Viewsonic doesn't have the ecosystem Amazon has to subsidize the tablet. How long can Viewsonic basically give away their tablet just to win market share from Amazon and Apple?

Admittedly most customers aren't worried tablet industry directions and price sustainability directly, but profitability does end up having an impact on the customer. For example, if Viewsonic can't find a way to make a profit in tablets, then they might pull out of the market and leave their tablet owners stranded. Even if they stay at it, low profit margins likely means a limited development/support team resulting in slow software updates, technical support, warranty service, etc. You could say that given the low price, you are already getting your value just from the hardware and there's always rooting as an option, but that's not exactly good customer service from a well known company like Viewsonic. With everyone wanting tablets, at $170 the Viewsonic could make a good gift, but not if there are strings attached since it wouldn't be polite to foist that on someone. Certainly not if there is an alternative in the Amazon Fire at the same price range that seems to be a viable and sustainable product.

You are making too much of a non-issue. If Viewsonic were to dump the platform, how would people that bought it be stranded? Android is a huge platform and all android software will still work... If your talking about hardware, they still have to provide warranty service for the warranty period and a viable repair service for 7 years (if not, they must provide a refund or replacement with equal or better product in lieu of repair for failures). That is the law for any tech product sold in the US.

Like I said, Android is still Android and will still work regardless of the companies new product development. Even for dead products like Palm Pre, you can still get service and it still works.